Oldham manager Lee Johnson is worried he is beginning to sound like a broken record given his repeated responses to the side’s tag of the League One ‘nearly-men’.
Oldham will face high-flying Peterborough at Boundary Park this weekend, while the young manager admitted he is becoming increasingly frustrated with his side’s fortunes in his first full season in charge.
The Football League’s youngest manager sent assistant Paul Murray to handle the media following last week’s defeat to Port Vale, explaining that he had no wish to keep repeating himself.
“I didn’t come out for the press conference after last week’s game because how many times can you come out and say the same thing?” said Johnson.
“That’s what I felt was all I could say and I was worried I’d sound like a broken record.
“Sometimes as a manager you get sick of your own voice, particularly when saying the same thing a couple of weeks before that.”
With the side sitting just one point above the relegation zone that they have failed to drop into this term, Johnson knows that they are running out of chances to keep blaming their luck.
“It’s true that we are the nearly-men, because we’re so often nearly there,” the 32-year-old told reporters at his weekly press conference.
“We need some wins so we can’t afford to just keep waiting to let the team grow.
“I’m still confident in the eleven I’m putting together.”
Oldham suffered one of their heaviest defeats in their history in this fixture 45 years ago, when Peterborough ran out 8-1 winners in the old Division Four.
The Posh are now under Darren Ferguson, son of legendary former Manchester United boss Sir Alex, who backed Johnson’s verdict that they will turn their season around.
“I am really surprised to see where they are in the table, but I firmly believe they will be clear of danger come the end of the season,” said the Scot.
“Oldham are a good side with good energies and we will have to contend with the energy they have in their side.”
Image courtesy of Sky Sports via YouTube, with thanks.
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